Amazing News: 9/26/21

Jay Kay Klein photo archive updated

The case for more passive protagonists (aggressive ones are tools of the patriarchy – except…what’s the definition of
“protagonist”?

Elvira comes out as gay.  Maybe SHE should have played Frank in the Rocky Horror reboot…

New Releases:  Cavan Scott introduces Shadow Service, a must for fans of Ben Aaronovitch, Guillermo del Toro, Neil Gaiman and Mike Mignola

Also – author Dave Creek notes that the sequel to his attention-starved novel Chanda’s Awakening, appropriately titled Chanda’s Homecoming, will be released in the next few weeks.  Now that it is a series, maybe it will get more attention.

Comedy shows seem to be the only place reporting accurately these days:  Kimmel gets scientists to tell the truth about just how truly fu**ed (by climate change) we all really are.  (I think they say “f**k” enough to make the point crystal clear, but saying it a bunch more times can’t hurt.)

No, the new uniform is not from BSG, we don’t think.

One of the few positive reviews of Apple TV +’s Foundation premiere.  (Mini-Review:  Fifteen minutes was all it took to determine that this new show is unwatchable.  Half an hour was barely required to determine that this show is “Foundation” in name only.  We can’t help but believe that Asimov would have been deeply disturbed by a positive presentation – any presentation – of anti-science advocacy of any kind.)

This announcement would be, at best “ho hum” and at worst would generate rants about Star Trek purity and continuity, except it comes from a corner of Fandom we rarely hear from – Pakistani Fandom.  (That, in fan speak, means “fans based in Pakistan”, not “fans of Pakistan”.  There may very well be many among the latter, but that subject is outside the scope of Amazing’s remit.)

Please don’t hide your bad story telling behind innocent astronauts

Harlan Ellison, Action News Reporter

This mainstream review of Foundation uses the word DREK.  That’s Yiddish for shite, very likely the exact word Isaac Asimov (a Russian Jewish Immigrant) would have used to describe it;  after which he would have contacted his publishers and demanded that the following phrase – “NOT BASED ON THE TELEVISION SHOW” be printed on the cover of his Foundation novels in type larger and bolder than the title or his own byline.

(If you are getting the sense that the editorial “we” over here at Amazing are not happy with Apple TV’s Foundation series, well, you wouldn’t be far off.  We’d offer a full-on review rather than the sniping, but it simply doesn’t warrant anything beyond sniping.)

(Damien Walter wastes an entire Youtube video explaining how bad Foundation is.)

In video news about shows fans really care about, Russel Davies will be returning as Dr. Who’s showrunner.

SF novels eclipsed by their own hype?  Some yes, others not so much.

As Elvira might say – “Be Afraid.  Be Very Afraid”.  Microminiature flying surveillance bots developed.

In big business’ latest assault on the creative class, Disney sues comic artist creator’s heirs to prevent them from asserting copyright claims.  This suit ought to make it very clear that “Hollywood” is engaged in a full-on war against allowing the actual creators of their products to have any share of the profits, let alone the influence.  (Mini-Editorial the Second:  First it was Allen Dean Foster – and friends – now it is Steve Ditko’s heirs and friends [not to mention our own brushes over similar IP bull].  It should be very clear by now that these are not random cases arising from the normal course of “doing business with Hollywood but are, in fact, indicators of a grand strategy governing the approach to and uses of Intellectual Property by Hollywood.)

Crypto Currencies now Illegal in China.  Yeah, it’s a stretch, but if Chengdu wins the 2023 Worldcon selection, no one attending will be able to sell or purchase anything with crypto currencies.  Vote no on Chengdu;  better yet, coordinate votes for one of the alternatives so the Chinese bid doesn’t split the no vote – an increasingly likely outcome.

Featured image:  Today, we split our attention between Dave Creek’s Chanda and Elvira because we can.

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